What Clayton Echard has said about Plea bargaining
4 quotes · 2 episodes · May 7, 2026 – Jul 9, 2026
Clayton Echard, Former star of The Bachelor and respondent in the Arizona paternity case, has been quoted on Plea bargaining 4 times in 2 episodes of Love Trapped, most recently on July 9, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.
In their words
Echard argued the defense's request for more time was an extension of Owens's history of delay tactics.
“I'm all for due process, but to me, this just feels like an extension of her tactic carried out by him to extend it”
Love Trapped: Not Over Yet | EP 15 (Jul 9, 2026) · Listen from 14:31
Echard relayed that Owens's lawyer said she would already have accepted a plea if it carried no jail or prison time.
“Laura's lawyer said if there was no jail time or prison time that could be attached to the plea, she would have taken the plea already”
Love Trapped: Not Over Yet | EP 15 (Jul 9, 2026) · Listen from 30:45
- Came true
Echard predicted Owens would wait until the final August 28 deadline to decide on the plea.
“She's going to wait until the last minute because she's just wants to drag this out because she knows that it only harms us”
Love Trapped: Not Over Yet | EP 15 (Jul 9, 2026) · Listen from 31:46
Echard argued that Owens's legal strategy consists of deliberately delaying proceedings.
“I didn't really expect an answer because Laura's tactics are delay, delay, delay. And that's just the way that she operates”
Love Trapped: All the Best | EP 12 (May 7, 2026) · Listen from 3:01
Predictions
- Came true
Echard predicted Owens would wait until the final August 28 deadline to decide on the plea.
“She's going to wait until the last minute because she's just wants to drag this out because she knows that it only harms us”
Love Trapped: Not Over Yet | EP 15 (Jul 9, 2026) · Listen from 31:46 · Plea bargaining
Owens's plea offer was extended to expire on August 28, 2026, the same day as her settlement conference. She pleaded guilty to four felonies that day, after reportedly at first refusing to come out of the judge's chambers. Echard's prediction that she would decide at the last minute matches what happened; his claim about her motive was not judged.
Sources: Laura Owens pleads guilty to four felonies in "Bachelor" fraud case with 10 counts dismissed - KTAR · Laura Owens pleads guilty in fraud case involving former 'Bachelor' star - 12News · Indictment News - Laura Owens Indicted · Laura Owens left court with no plea deal as 'Bachelor' star spoke out - AOL
Checked Oct 10, 2026
Episodes
Not Over Yet | EP 15Love Trapped · Jul 9, 2026 · 48 min
Stephanie Young follows Clayton Echard and Greg Gillespie through hearings where Laura Owens's plea deadline was extended again, plus her parents' troubled bankruptcy case.
All the Best | EP 12Love Trapped · May 7, 2026 · 1 h 10 min
In the Love Trapped season finale, Stephanie Young revisits the Laura Owens case with Clayton Echard, Mike Marraccini, an anonymous childhood friend, and online investigators while Owens's plea decision remains pending.
Others on Plea bargaining
- Baron Coleman · 1 quote
- Lynette Sharp · 1 quote
- Mark Eiglarsh · 1 quote
- Ashley Flowers · 1 quote
- Joby Weeks · 1 quote
- Stephanie Young · 1 quote
- Kim Richardson · 1 quote
Clayton Echard on other topics
- State of Arizona v. Owens · 7 quotes
- Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial · 4 quotes
- Crime victims' rights · 1 quote
- Online true crime communities · 1 quote
- Reproductive coercion and paternity trapping · 1 quote
- False allegations and believing victims · 1 quote
- Plea bargain · 1 quote
- Perjury · 1 quote